Sweet, fluffy, and perfect for Good Friday (or any day)! A rich golden brown and full of spices, these homemade Hot Cross Buns are sure to become part of your Easter tradition—if they aren’t already.
What’s in a Hot Cross Bun?
It’s that time of year! A good hot cross bun is made with love–and the finest ingredients around.
- Milk: Warm milk this time around!
- Sugar: All sweet rolls need white sugar. And don’t forget powdered sugar for the icing cross!
- Yeast: Active dry yeast is a must!
- Flour: All purpose flour shines once again.
- Salt: Just a tsp salt!
- Spices: Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, please!
- Raisins: Healthy, sweet, and adds a bit of texture.
- Eggs: You’ll need 3 total.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is best.
- Water: A secret ingredient.
- Orange Zest: A lil’ citrus never hurt anyone.
Top Tips:
- Make sure that yeast is up to par! If your yeast has been opened already or has been sitting in the back of your cabinet, it’s a great idea to proof it and make sure it’s still usable. Do this by adding the instant yeast and a small amount of warm water. If the yeast mixture starts bubbling, you’re good to go!
- Don’t forget to have a lightly floured surface while working and a tea towel handy to cover the rolls during the proofing process!
Variations on Hot Cross Buns
This recipe is already vegetarian-friendly, but can easily be made to accommodate a vegan diet. Just swap the milk for your favorite plant-based milk and leave out the eggs (you may need to add a bit more milk to get the sticky dough to come together), and swap the butter for vegetable, canola, or coconut oil. You can even skip the “egg wash” the top of the dough with plant-based milk to get that shiny glaze.
Feel free to mix all purpose flour with strong bread flour for the ultimate rise.
Raisins not your thing? Try dried figs, blueberries, or any of your other favorite fruits.
Spice up those warm spices by adding a dash of cardamom, cloves, or star anise to the dough.
Hot cross buns are yeasted sweet buns filled with dried fruits and/or candied citrus peels and decorated with a white cross and topped with icing. They taste like a cross between a cinnamon roll and a dinner roll and are commonly eaten at Easter!
Because of their decorative cross (representing the crucifix) and warm spices (representing the spices used to embalm Jesus), these sweet rolls are symbolic of the day Jesus was crucified.
The white cross on traditional hot cross buns is a paste made from flour and water. It doesn’t really add flavor to the buns, just decoration. You can also simply score a cross shape on the top of each bun and skip the paste if you prefer.
Yes! Fully-baked hot cross buns can be made up to 3 days in advance of when you plan to serve them. You can also prep the buns through step 8 and chill them overnight in the refrigerator before baking them!
You can eat a hot cross bun as a side with your Easter meal or as a breakfast or snack item. They’re delicious any time of day. They’re yummy on their own, but you can also slather them in butter or cream cheese!
Yes! These buns will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours before enjoying them.
How to Make Ahead and Store Hot Crossed Buns
You can prepare the buns through step 8, placing them in the refrigerator to slow rise instead of the counter. They can be left in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Let come to room temperature for 30 minutes before egg washing, adding the cross paste, and baking. Store leftover buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to Freeze Easy Hot Cross Buns
Freeze hot cross buns in a single layer on a lined baking sheet until solid, about 1-2 hours. Transfer to an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
What to Serve with Easter Hot Cross Buns
This traditional recipe goes well with a glass of warm milk, Chocolate Coffee, or a delicious Orange Julius. Serve it side by side with your favorite breakfast treats like an Egg McMuffin, Cheesy Hash, or have the ultimate sweet tooth spread by adding Sticky Buns to the table.
Hot Cross Buns Recipe
Equipment
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Kitchen Scale (optional)
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup milk 227 grams, lukewarm (105-110°F)
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100 grams
- 0.25 ounces instant yeast 7 grams (1 packet)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour 480 grams
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 grams
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¾ cup raisins 112 grams
- 2 large eggs 100 grams, room temperature
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 85 grams, melted (¾ stick)
For the Egg wash and Cross Paste
- 1 large egg 50 grams
- ½ cup all-purpose flour 60 grams
- 5 tablespoons water 71 grams
For the Icing
- ½ cup powdered sugar 57 grams
- 2 tablespoons milk 28 grams
- ½ teaspoon orange zest 1 gram
Instructions
For the Dough
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Combine the milk, sugar, and instant yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let it sit for a few minutes until the yeast becomes foamy1 cup milk, ½ cup granulated sugar, 0.25 ounces instant yeast
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In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and raisins together.4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground allspice, ¾ cup raisins
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Add the eggs and butter to the yeast mixture. .2 large eggs, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
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Attach the dough hook to the mixer and mix on low until combined, about 1 minute.
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Add in the flour mixture in 2 installments and continue mixing on low speed for 4-5 minutes, until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough seems sticky, sprinkle in a little flour and continue mixing
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Cover the bowl with a towel, and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size. This will take 45-60 minutes. If your kitchen is cold, let the dough rise in your oven set to 200°F or on its warm setting.
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Punch down the dough. Remove it from the bowl and gather it into a ball on a floured surface. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Then, divide those pieces into 3 equal pieces for a total of 12 (about 93 grams per bun).
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Roll each piece into a ball and place them in a greased 9×13-inch baking pan.
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Cover the baking pan with a kitchen towel, and place it in a warm spot to rise for 45 minutes until puffy. Preheat the oven to 350°F while the dough rises..
For the Egg Wash and Cross Paste
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Whisk the egg and a couple of teaspoons of water in a small dish. Brush the egg wash over the risen buns.1 large egg
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In a bowl, combine the flour and water, mixing until it forms a paste-like consistency.½ cup all-purpose flour, 5 tablespoons water
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Transfer the mixture to a sealable plastic bag, and snip the corner of the bag.
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Once the buns have risen, squeeze the flour mixture in a straight line across each row/column of buns to form a cross on each bun.
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Bake the buns for 20 minutes until golden brown.
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Allow to rest for a few minutes after baking.
For the Icing
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Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and orange zest.½ cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, ½ teaspoon orange zest
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Brush the icing over the buns.
Notes
- Measure your dry ingredients using the spoon-and-level method to prevent dry buns.
- You can use active dried yeast in this recipe, but the buns may take longer to rise.
- For chewier hot cross buns, swap some (or all) of the all-purpose flour for bread flour.
- You can use any dried fruits in these buns, or a mixture of dried fruits and candied citrus peels.
- Feel free to add chopped nuts instead of (or in addition to) the raisins. Keep the total add-ins to 1 cup.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can knead the dough by hand for about 10 minutes.
- Cool the buns completely before icing them!
Nutrition
More Easter Bread Recipes We Love
- Easter Bread
- Dinner Rolls
- Parker House Rolls
- Make-Ahead Yeast Rolls
- Hawaiian Rolls
- Garlic Pull-Apart Rolls
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